To Synchronize a Heart
by KateBrooks1915
Summary: Begins inside the diner the fateful night Emma and Hook returned from the Enchanted Forest with their "luggage." Tension between Emma and Regina goes through several transitions throughout the events of Season 4 which have been re-imagined. There's some Elsa, some Dark One Dagger drama, limited OQ & CS, some QoD, but most of all, SQ. *This is an updated Summary* Warnings inside.
1. Chapter 1

**So, I guess this is an Author's Note: First of all, thanks for even clicking the link. I'm actually pretty nervous about posting this. This story is something I've been going to every now and then, hidden in my google docs, for some R &R and creative expression for things that I have no idea what else to do with because real life doesn't afford me the luxury of such things. I usually write non-fiction, so this is an little project to see if I'm capable of writing fiction at all. What better universe to choose than OUAT where, literally, anything is possible. No one else has read this, so I apologize for any errors you encounter. If you think the story is worthy, let me know about things like chapter length and format /technical stuff that I'm, admittedly, completely ignorant about. **

**About those warnings I mentioned in the summary... This story in an un-betaed first attempt. Though I have proofread, I promise, I can't guarantee it's error free. For that I apologize, sincerely. Assuming that I continue posting chapters (that really depends on whether or not readers think it worthwhile), there is sexually explicit content in later chapters. If that's not your cup o'tea, those parts can be skimmed/ skipped. Without further ado...**

 **To Synchronize a Heart**

 **Light Magic Does no Harm?**

"You better hope to hell you didn't bring anything else back with you." Regina wasn't entirely sure she _wasn't_ threatening Emma, but at that particular moment she didn't care if what she said sounded like a threat or not. Emma's face had visibly paled and her shocked expression remained intact. The blonde was opening and closing her mouth like a landed fish and Regina would have enjoyed it had the pain in her chest not prevented her from having a coherent thought. It didn't last long, but she knew the sharp, ripping pain would be back and she dreaded it. Rather than show weakness, Regina turned on her heel and made for the exit of the diner.

A strong hand descended on Regina's arm as she made her way, head down, through the throng of people intent on celebrating with Snow and David. Her head jerked up and she was brought face to face with her soul mate. His eyes told a story of utter confusion and though she would prefer to make him choose right then and there, her love for him won out. She suddenly felt a desire for nothing more than his peace of mind, even at the cost of her own happiness.

"Regina, please don't walk away from this," he pleaded with her. The pain in her chest returned and she winced, but nodded in acknowledgement of his obvious desire to speak with her.

"Not in here, Robin. Outside," she nodded in the direction of the door and looked back at his newly restored wife. Marian was still in a warm embrace with Roland. Though she would not begrudge either the son nor the mother a happy reunion, a small ache of jealousy flashed through her. _He could have been mine too_ , she thought selfishly.

A veritable parade that consisted of Emma, Marian and Roland, and Snow and David followed the couple out into Granny's courtyard. Obviously they would have an audience whether Regina liked it or not. She turned to look at Robin and as she did so, he grasped her by the hand.

"Regina," her name escaped his lips in a whisper and the burning in her chest worsened, leaving Regina nearly breathless. "I don't know what this means." His eyes and tone pleaded for her understanding and Regina knew exactly what that meant. It was over. They were over. The woman he would have walked through hell to have back was just dropped in his lap. A once evil queen couldn't compare to his Marian. _Pixie dust does lie_ came the unbidden thought. Regina couldn't speak she only nodded in a vague response.

"Robin?" A sweet voice somewhere close rang out in the growing cloud of Regina's emotions. "What are you doing with her?!" The voice was now almost shrill and both their heads snapped up at the sound.

"Please, Marian, this… this is Regina and I want us to talk about what's happening." The look on the other woman's face was pure horror as it became obvious to her that her husband had taken up with the Evil Queen in her absence.

"Do you know who she is?" Marian demanded. "Robin, she's the Evil Queen. She's a monster! How could you?!" It was overtly obvious that the thought of her dear Robin cozying up to Regina, the monster, disgusted her. The pain in Regina's chest intensified again and she couldn't help but press a hand to her chest in shock.

"Hey, hey, she's not like that anymore, Marian. She's changed," Emma broke into the conversation. Regina tried to be appreciative of having a defender, but couldn't quite muster that emotion with all the others flooding her mind and body. All she could do was stand there and watch and listen.

"No one can change after doing the things she did." Marian's voice was no dark and full of venom. "Please tell me you at least didn't allow this, this witch around our son!"

"Marian, please," Robin turned his full attention on his wife. "She's truly not like that. She has a son of her own and he's…" Marian yanked her hand out of Robin's grip.

"She has a son?! She has no business raising a child. How could any of you allow a poor innocent boy to be poisoned by her evil?" Marian took a tighter hold on her own son, who looked more scared than he ever had when facing a flying monkey.

"Yeah she has a son and he's my son too and she's one hell of a mother, so you need to back off," Emma interjected with a vehemence that surprised Regina even in her shocked state.

The decision showed clearly on Marian's face. She scooped up the small boy and headed back into the diner with a sweep of dark red cloak.

"You know no one feels that way, Gina," Emma tried to placate. Tears were flowing down Regina's face and Emma's guilt was ratcheted up several notches.

Robin turned back to Regina, but all he could say was, "I'm sorry." Regina knew that he truly meant it, but he also hadn't defended her and rather than comforting his soul mate, he turned and went to them, to his family. That was something Regina would never be and the knowledge caused her heart to give up the fight and break. She gasped as the pain sent shockwaves through her chest. Pinpoints of light burst into her vision and the once regal queen swayed with the searing pain of her heart breaking. Emma was at her side in an instant providing physical support. Once the initial shock of her heart separating passed, Regina was left with only a deep ache. She shook Emma's helping hands off of her arms and stood straight once again.

"I am so sorry, Gina." Emma's voice was choked and she too had tears falling down her cheeks.

"I'm a villain, Miss Swan. And you are a hero. It seems its your destiny to take away my happy ending. I obviously don't deserve one. Robin does. And now, thanks to you, he has a second chance with his true love. How does it feel to be a hero?" As Regina talked, her composure returned and her voice turned from shocked hurt to hard steel. Emma blinked several times before replying.

"Not so great at the moment," Emma admitted. "Henry told me that it was my job to bring back all the happy endings. But, why does one person's happy ending mean pain for another?"

Regina sighed, but thanks to her son's hard work in school, she had an answer. "Henry once told me of one of Newton's Laws," she began and received a look of bewilderment from Emma. Regina continued only rolling her eyes a bit, "for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction." Regina paused to let Emma absorb her words. "You've just proven that to be true." Regina turned and exited the courtyard leaving a stunned Emma, open mouthed, watching her son's other mother stalk away, dejected, into the night.

…

Regina left from the street outside Granny's in a puff of purple smoke and arrived in the foyer of her mansion in similar fashion. It was then that she felt the burning, ripping sensation in her chest again. Her newly restored heart was breaking and she couldn't take the pain. With a hand braced on the polished wood of the entryway table, Regina reached the other hand into her own chest and pulled the two halves of her heart free. Breathless, she made her way to her study, found the small wooden box in her desk and laid the pieces of her heart gently inside, disregarding the tears that rolled down her cheeks and spilled onto the desktop.

It was no use. Even without the pieces of her heart in her body, she still felt pain. Regina remembered what Snow had said to her just days before.

" _You feel things deeply… you feel with your whole soul._ "

…

Emma pounded on the mansion's immaculate white door.

"Regina! Come on! Don't shut me out. I know you and I know you're pissed and it's my fault but… just, just open the door," Emma yelled at the suspiciously silent house. Her gut told her something wasn't right and if anyone was used to listening to their gut, it was Emma, the bail bondswoman, the sheriff, the…. _well some Savior I am…_ she thought to herself. She sighed and had another go at her best cop knock on the solid door. Nothing. Total silence.

"Regina! At least come out here and threaten me so I know you're okay!" She knocked again to no avail. Either the erstwhile Evil Queen was incredibly stalwart when it came stubbornness or… maybe she wasn't there? _Only one way to find out._

"If you don't answer the door in thirty seconds, I'm breaking it down! One. Two." Emma heard footsteps on the path behind her and whirled, ready to defend herself against Regina's wrath, but dropped her defensive pose when she realized her company was Henry.

"Don't break down the door, Emma. You've done enough to make her mad. Just use my key." Henry stretched out his hand to his mother and dropped the key into her own outstretched hand. Before Emma could put the key in the lock, the door swung open in front of her. She peered into the darkened entryway, but saw no one.

"Come in, if you dare," called Regina from in interior room. Emma and Henry looked at each other. Emma had sincere apprehension on her face. Henry looked as though he was challenging his birth mother. The boy rolled his eyes and stepped passed Emma into the house.

"Mom," Henry called. Immediately Regina appeared in the doorway to the living room and Henry went to her. He wrapped his arms around her and squeezed. "I'm sorry, Mom. I'm so sorry." Henry's voice was thick with emotion and Regina returned her son's hug. If the love of a son was all she would have, it was plenty. She smiled down at the top of Henry's head despite the tears that threatened to spill over yet again.

Emma followed Henry more slowly. She observed the display of affection and emotion with hollow feeling under her breast bone. _We're supposed to be the good guys._ She thought. _We're supposed to bring happiness, not destroy it._

Regina caught sight of Emma and stiffened in Henry's embrace. "Come to see the Evil Queen?" She asked in a husky tone that had only a shadow of the Evil Queen's threatening demeanor. "Try not to point and stare as you observe the woman who murdered her soulmate's wife." The last bit had enough of an edge that it further bit into Emma's already frayed nerves.

"You didn't," was all Emma could say.

"No, I guess I didn't. Thanks to you." Now the bitterness was really back and Henry stepped away from his mother. "Thank you, Savior, from taking the stain of one person's blood off my hands."

Emma's anger quickly dissipated yet again into a pool of burning guilt in her gut. "Regina, I'm…" Emma whispered through the thickness in her throat.

"You're sorry, Swan, I heard the first time. Sometimes 'sorry' just doesn't cut it. I've learned that lesson well. Perhaps now its your turn." Regina words stung with venom and Emma felt there was nothing she could say or do to make the situation better. All she wanted to do in that moment was go back to the Enchanted Forest and let Marian die. But, no. That's not what a hero does. Henry says heroes do what is right and she had. _How did this turn out so horribly?!_ Emma thought before being shaken from her shocked revery by Henry's voice.

"Emma, you should probably just go," he suggested.

"But, kid," Emma tried to come up with some reason why she should stay and see this through, but Regina was looking at her in a way she had never, ever wanted to see those brown eyes stare her down ever again. "Okay. Yeah. I'll go," and she turned at walked back through the door toward her car. She only made it halfway down the sidewalk before her eyes blurred and tears started brimming and falling from both eyes. But, she kept walking because she knew her own hurt at Regina's tone and anger toward her was nothing compared to the pain she had inflicted on Regina.

…

"Henry," Regina began, but hesitated. Her son looked at her with an expression that made it clear he would do anything to help her. She knew it would sound like a silly request, but pushed through her pride. "Is your book here?"

Henry blinked, clearly not sure exactly how to respond. His brow was slightly furrowed and Regina had to look away in order to keep from blushing. Henry finally managed a response. "Its, its in my room upstairs. But, Mom, Emma changed what happened, it might not be in the book anymore."

A small sigh escaped Regina's lips as she realized that her son had read her as easily as he read the book she had requested. "I just want to…" she began and sighed again. "I want to see for myself what everyone else sees. I want to know what that book says about me. I saw their faces, Henry. They were scared of me and I don't want people to look at me that way anymore."

Her son reached out to her and Regina opened her arms to him. "I wasn't scared, Mom," he whispered into her shoulder. A single tear trailed down the formerly Evil Queen's face.

"Thank you, Henry, thank you," she whispered back.

…

Regina sat cross legged on the couch with the book she had once loathed as the item which drove a wedge between her and her son resting on her knees. Henry had long since gone up to bed at her insistence that she would be just fine and he needed his rest. For several hours she poured over the pages and whether it was the late hour or the wine with which she had fortified herself for this foray into the past, her eyes blurred and began to close of their own volition. She slid the book onto the coffee table in front of her and pulling a blanket over herself, she reclined on the couch and drifted off into a fitful doze.

She dreamed of horses and tents and running through the forest. In one instant she was kissing Daniel and in the next he was replaced with Robin. She was burying her heart in the forest, then slipping two halves of her heart into her mother's vault. She was running down a long hallway of the White Castle only to be grabbed from behind by Leopold and shoved roughly against a wall. Then she was in her bed chamber making love to Graham.

It may have been the sick feeling that came over her when she realized she was making love to a dead man that woke her, but she couldn't say for sure. She felt as though she were about to fall and her hand shot out from the blanket knocking over the empty wine glass on the coffee table. The crash of glass breaking brought Regina back to full awareness and she jumped up from the couch. Once she was sure of where she was, she closed her eyes on the darkened living room and took a deep breath. When she raised her hands to rub the weariness out of her eyes, another jolt of adrenaline shot through her body. White light was glowing from both her hands, pulsating as it began moving up her arms.

"What the h…" Regina began to say, but was cut short by a sudden burst of what could have only been light magic that seemed to engulf her and come from her at the same time. She started for the entryway in a blind panic, not sure exactly where she was going or what she intended to do. In her alarmed state, she simply felt she had to move, to try to get away from the blinding light. But, she couldn't get away from it; it _was_ coming from her. A shock wave suddenly burst from the white-gold light surrounding her. The last thing Regina remembered was all the glass around her shattering in a crash that could have woken the dead.

…

Henry woke from a sound sleep in an instant. With his heart hammering in his throat, he jumped out of bed and sped down the stairs two at a time. "Mom!" Henry flipped on the light at the bottom of the stairs and stopped short. He had just narrowly missed stepping on the glass that now glittered in the incandescent light from the wall sconces. Henry let out a gasp and ran back up the stairs and stuffed his feet into his sneakers. At the bottom of the stairs again, he immediately turn to his left and saw his mother sprawled on the floor of the living room.

"Mom!" He cried again as he lunged for her, not noticing the glass that pierced his knees as he knelt by her side. He reached out to her and called out to her again. There were small cuts on her arms. One piece of glass had made a thin red line that angled down her left cheek and oozed dark red blood. Henry picked up his mother's limp hand and begged for her to respond to him.

"Please, Mom. Mom, just open your eyes. Tell me you're okay!" He got no response from Regina. He gently laid her hand on her chest and ran for the phone in the kitchen. He dialed Emma's cell phone and paced back into the entryway, waiting for her to pick up.

"Regina?" Came Emma's sleepy voice on the other end of the phone.

"Emma! Its my mom, please, come help!" Henry pleaded.

…

Emma was sure that Henry wasn't hurt, but it didn't stop her heart from being lodged uncomfortably in her throat for the entirety of the short (made shorter by her extreme speed) drive to the mayor's house. The yellow Bug screeched to a halt in front 108 Mifflin Street and Emma sprinted up the walkway. She quickly took in the state of the broken windows on the right side of the house and swallowed hard several times, attempting to push her heart back down where it belonged. She was the sheriff. She wasn't allowed to panic in an emergency. But, this was her kid and her kid's mother and she'd challenge anyone in that situation not to panic at least a bit.

After what Henry had hurriedly described on the phone, Emma was surprised when the foyer looked exactly the same as it had when she left several hours ago. However, her notion of Henry's tale being exaggerated was dispelled when she turned to the right and saw the state of the normally immaculate living room. Somehow all the glass from the windows had blown inward. She hadn't noticed the chill so much when she was outside, but a shiver ran straight down her spine and settled in an uncomfortable tingling sensation in her tailbone. She rushed to where Henry was holding onto Regina's hand for dear life and thought the sensation in her tailbone must be some primitive part of her that wanted her to tuck her tail and run. She felt guilty. She felt as though this were somehow her fault. Regina's voice came back to her,

" _Never thinking of consequences!"_

"Hey, kid," Emma's voice sounded remarkably calm to her own ears. She didn't feel nearly as calm as she sounded, but she was glad her voice didn't shake or betray her, for Henry's sake. "Step back a bit Henry," she said equally as calmly. Her son looked at her with pleading eyes. She had to do something. She knew the answer to something magical was something equally as magical, but she hadn't been sure she could do anything until she walked into that room. With glass crunching under her boots, her son's terrified expression, and Regina laid out amongst the wreckage of windows and vases, she felt it for the first time since she used the Black Fairy's wand. The tingling in her fingers was at once familiar and foreign, necessary in this instance, but not entirely welcome in her life.

Emma knelt down next to her son and said softly to the stricken woman, "Gina, it's Emma. Wake up." Emma brushed hair off the mayor's forehead and laid her palm against the smooth, unusually pale skin. The shock of how cold that skin was sent another shiver down her spine, but it was immediately replaced with the strange, warm sensation of flowing magic. A gentle pulse went down her arm, to her hand where it rested on Regina's forehead. The warmth passed from Emma to the other woman and Regina gasped as her eyes flew open. She sat up with a start and hissed through her teeth as the several small cuts and gash on her face made their presence known. Regina put her hand to her right cheek and started at the resulting stinging sensation.

"Mom, are you okay?" Henry's voice reached Regina through the receding fog of her mind and and she reached out to him.

"I'm okay, Henry." Regina looked around the room, met Emma's eye and her expression turned from confusion to wariness.

"What…?" Regina began but her voice trailed off and she shook her head. "Thank you, Miss…. thank you, Emma," she finished and as she held up a hand to the woman who now appeared to be her savior as well and asked gently, "Please?" Emma grabbed Regina's hand and elbow and helped haul her to feet. She led Regina out of the wreckage of the living room to the kitchen.

"We should get those cuts cleaned up," suggested Emma and she sent Henry off for first aid supplies. Regina looked dazed and aside from the long cut on her face, she had glass in her hair and she was pale. Emma, not sure what to do with Regina in a so obviously vulnerable state, poured a glass of water and set it in front of the silent mayor.

"You want to tell me what happened?" Emma inquired after a period of uncomfortable silence.

"I wish I could, Miss Swan," Regina responded without looking up. She was running her index finger around the lip of the clear water glass, obviously avoiding the savior's penetrating stare.

"You don't know?" the blonde responded, with a touch of shock.

Regina sighed and finally flicked her brown eyes up to meet Emma's. "I do know it was some sort of… of light magic… explosion or something. I woke up and there was white light and…" Regina shrugged and took a sip of the cool water. "And then the world exploded."

…

Henry had figured out that the short errand for the first aid kit was a ruse when he returned to find his adoptive mother teaching his birth mother how to heal with magic. It bothered him a bit that they still felt the need to have him leave the room and be out of earshot to talk about certain things. He wasn't a ten-year-old anymore, after all. He couldn't stay irritated for long though. Seeing his mothers work together was an amazing treat especially considering how things had ended between them just hours ago.

Emma concentrated as hard as she could while listening to instruction from Regina.

"Don't think it, feel it," Regina whispered. Emma closed her eyes and moved her hand over Regina's arm. With a swirl of white warmth, the cuts on the mayor's arm disappeared. Emma opened her eyes to see her magical handiwork and looked up at Regina with a huge smile on her face.

"I did it," she breathed and Regina nodded in approval.

"Now," Regina said with an air of authority. "Take care of the one on my cheek before I have another scar."

Henry watched in fascination as Emma worked to heal Regina and a thought struck him. He waited until Emma was done, so as to not break her concentration, but was too excited to see what would happen to stay quiet any longer.

"Hey," he said to his mothers. "You could work together to clear up the mess in the other room." He raised both his eyebrows invitingly and both women smiled at him. Regina shrugged and looked to Emma.

"Why not?" the blonde said and they headed for the entrance to the living room.

The magical pair stood together and took in the wreck of broken glass and toppled ornamental decorations. They both took a deep breath and looked at each other.

"Feel it, right?" Asked Emma tentatively. Regina nodded and both women put their hands out in front of them. With closed eyes, they simultaneously bent slightly at the knees and waist. White light shot from two pairs of hands and engulfed the room before them. Henry's eyes darted from one mother to the other to the living room and back again. Glass clattered and shards from all over the room rose into the air. Tiny pieces of sparkling glass even lifted from Regina's hair and flew into the room. In a matter of seconds, every piece of glass and every knick knack was back in its place; the room was pristine again. Even the wine glass that had broken when Regina had wakened with a start was back in its place on the coffee table.

Both women dropped their hands and surveyed the room in front of them. Emma was entirely pleased and beamed at Henry who had come up next to her.

"We did it, kid!" She exclaimed and she and Henry shared a quick embrace. Emma looked to Regina to share in their moment of triumph, but was immediately alarmed when she looked at the other women. Regina was swaying on her feet with a hand pressed to her middle just under her breast bone. The mayor had a stunned look on her face and Emma took the two strides necessary to reach the woman. She put a hand under Regina's elbow and peered at her face just in time to see the large brown eyes roll back.

"Regina!" Emma cried. She meant to catch Regina's other arm and steady her, but she found herself supporting most of Regina's weight with her legs as the woman swayed into her. Emma shifted her feet to better support Regina and wrapped her other arm around the faltering queen. "Gina," she whispered in a pleading tone. Emma was quite alarmed as was Henry. The boy had been momentarily stunned, but seeing that both his mothers needed help urgently, he sprang to life.

Henry took one of Regina's arms and draped it over his shoulders while wrapping his arm around his mother's waist. Emma followed Henry's example and, together, the pair managed to sit Regina down on the couch in the newly restored living room.

By the time they reached the couch, Regina was nearly walking under her own power again.

"What?" Emma stumbled on her words, "that's not… Jesus, Regina!" Emma looked down at Regina and could clearly see that, while not entirely alright, she probably wasn't going to keel over on them again. "What the hell was that?"

Regina shook her head, which she quickly discovered was a mistake. The contents of her head hadn't entirely ceased buzzing and swirling. She put a hand to her forehead in an attempt to still the spinning.

"I'm alright now," she breathed. Regina dropped her hand and looked up to the worried faces of mother and son in front of her. "It's…" she breathed deeply through her nose and gave it another go. "I think it's the light magic."

"Light magic is supposed to bring good, not harm!" Emma exclaimed.

"Quite," Regina replied. "But, I am obviously not at all used to using light magic. Its, well, its... different."

...

 **EDIT: i should have included this earlier, but I don't own the show or the characters; I'm just playing in ABC's sandbox.**


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: I swear I do the best I can with proofreading. But, I really am not very good at proofing my own work. I'm really sorry. But, here's a second chapter. I can see that there are TONS of stories being updated for OUAT, so I really appreciate any and all readers taking the time to read my crazy little story. I also really appreciate the reviews I've received so far. ;)**

 **To Synchronize a Heart**

 **Jealous Much?**

Regina was determined to carry on as usual. Even if her motivation came only from proving all those twits wrong, it was motivation enough to get her up and out the door to the mayor's office. Business as usual. She put Henry on the school bus, after assuring him that she would be fine; she just needed to work. She had a town to run. She just had to figure out how to run that town as a benevolent overseer, rather than… Well rather than how she had before.

When she arrived in her office, of course, her eyes went straight to the spot where she and Robin had enjoyed wine and each others' company. The remnants of that romantic interlude remained and the sight caused pain to flare up in Regina's empty chest. Anger coursed through her and she strode over to the coffee table. Picking up one of the wine glasses, she raised it in her hand intending to throw it into the now cold fireplace. Regina stopped herself, or rather, the strange feeling which came over her stopped her. She couldn't tell exactly what it was. She sat down slowly on the couch, still holding the wine glass. She recognized the feeling. It was the feeling she got so many times in the past few years when Henry would put his arms around her.

"Comfort?" she said out loud disbelievingly. In that moment Regina knew something very drastic had happened to her the night before. She could use only light magic, and now she could comfort herself. Surely those are things true heroes do. But, how? The last time her true love had been ripped away from her, she had spiralled down a long road paved with vengeance, death, and hatred. How on earth could having the same thing happen again cause… whatever this was?

Regina set down the wine glass and with a concerted effort, waved her hand over the table several times. Her hand glowed white, but nothing else happened. She stood and closing her eyes held both hands over the table. White light shot out from both palms and when she cracked one eye open to see what had transpired, the table was clear of the remnants of the romantic office picnic. Her feeling of satisfaction lasted only briefly as the black and white wallpaper began to blur. Regina reached a hand out toward the couch and finding it, she slowly sat down.

"What the hell?" She asked rhetorically to the empty room. She would have to make a visit to Gold. The thought made her cringe slightly. And though she was somewhat doubtful the Dark One could help her with a problem related to light magic, she had no one else to turn to. She would not, under any circumstances, rely on Emma Swan ever again.

…

Belle greeted Regina with a sympathy one generally reserves for someone whose dog has recently died, but Regina appreciated the effort. It was absolutely no shock that Belle had learned of what had transpired at Granny's the night before. Regina was sure that, if not already, by the end of the day, every resident of Storybrooke would have heard the news of Marian's return from the dead.

Belle was muttering on about, "...if there's anything I can do, if you want to talk…" when Regina cut her off.

"Thank you, Belle, but I'd like to speak to Gold. Its urgent. Is he in?" Belle's countenance clouded briefly. _Of course._ Regina thought. Belle's immediate thought would be that Regina was either seeking revenge against Emma or seeking a way to once again remove Marian from Robin's life.

"He's… uhh… he's stepped out for a minute, but…" Belle was a bit worried, but would never let it show. Rather than keeping the Dark One's dagger for her own selfish purposes, Regina had entrusted it Belle. It was possibly the only act of redemption Belle would have considered sufficient for her to bury the hatchet with Regina and so she had. Belle was incredibly grateful for Regina's selfless act of trust.

"Should I come back later?" Regina inquired.

"No, no. He'll be just a minute. He just went to pick up burgers for lunch." Belle replied and smiled. "I have kind of a thing for them."

Regina smiled back, but had absolutely no idea what to say next. Idle chat wasn't her strong suit, especially when she had a magical semi-crisis on her hands. Thinking of her hands and the white light she had seen shoot from them several times in the last 18 hours, she looked down at them somewhat suspiciously.

"So," Belle cut into the awkward silence."While we wait, you could maybe tell me what you're looking for. I know this shop pretty well." Belle looked desperate to help in some way, and it occurred to Regina that the young woman was rather well read. Regina was cautious, but if she didn't get this light magic under control soon, the whole town would know she had this problem. Thinking of the outrage and sheer panic the town would be thrown into if they learned the Evil Queen had trouble controlling her magic made white sparks form and jump from her clasped hands. Regina took a deep breath and risked a glance at Belle, who was now staring at Regina's hands as well.

"Its not what you think," Regina blurted out, seeing Belle visibly pale. "Its… I can't control it. I know that sounds bad. But, I don't know what happened. But, its light magic and I don't think I can actually hurt anyone with light magic, but I'm not sure. Well, I don't think I can hurt anyone else, I feel absolutely awful after these little incidents I've been having. Well, the one incident wasn't exactly little. I blew out all the glass in my living room and Emma had to come rescue me, for god's sake. I'm sure you can imagine how embarrassing that was after last night." Belle's mouth was hanging open and Regina realized she had just done the thing that her son called word vomit. She felt like a nineteen year old girl again, standing in front of Rumpelstiltskin, trying to explain away some disastrous piece of conjuring she had attempted. Just as she was about to recklessly attempt disappearing, the bell on the door of the shop dinged behind Regina and she whirled in relief only to find Emma darkening the doorway.

"Regina, you're okay today?" Emma asked a bit hesitantly and her color rose slightly. Regina also found herself feeling slightly embarrassed after having to be rescued by Emma the previous night and couldn't formulate an answer right away. Her tongue felt thick and heavy and white sparks shot from her hands again. She quickly shoved her hands into the pockets of her coat, but not fast enough. Both Emma and Belle had seen and were giving her odd questioning looks. Belle recovered first and attempted to cover for the embarrassed queen.

"Regina's fine, Emma! We were just discussing magical transmutation and Regina was giving me a practical example of things I've read about."

Emma's brow furrowed and she shoved her own hands deep into the pockets of her tight jeans. "I have no idea what that means, but sounds like a magic lesson to me. What do you say, Regina, can I join in?" Emma had a hopeful look to her that Regina couldn't help but want to wipe on her face.

"Absolutely not," was Regina's immediate response. Belle, ever the peace-keeper, stepped in to soften the blow of Regina's harsh words as she had seen Emma cringe.

"What Regina means is that transmutation is pretty advanced stuff and you're really still a beginner… so..." Belle trailed off not sure what her next best move was to successfully get rid of Emma without hurting her feelings _and_ placate Regina.

"Right," Emma interjected, "I definitely don't know what I'm doing quite yet, but I'm willing to learn."

Regina's thoughts immediately turned to a nearly disastrous attempt to teach Emma to use her magic at will rather than relying on pure instincts to save her ass all the time and her temper flared again.

"Miss Swan," Regina began in a tone that boded cataclysm when Henry swept through the door like the devil himself was on his heels. All three women looked at the boy with expressions that demanded an explanation for his abrupt, obviously rushed entrance.

"Oh good, you're both here," Henry said breathlessly. "You have to come see this. Its totally nuts. The dwarves are losing their minds. Everyone whose seen it is seriously freaked out. Mom, some people think you did it, but the dwarves say no, it was Emma in a blue a dress. But, I think they all had one too many at the party last night so really none of them should have driving anyway..."

Regina said, "Henry Daniel Mills…" at the same time Emma said, "Whoa, kid, slow down…" and in a strange perfect synchronization they both said, "enough with the word vomit."

Emma and Regina looked at each other. Emma fought the juvenile urge to say 'Jinx! You owe me a Coke!" While Regina simply couldn't believe that those words had come out of her mouth, much less at the same time as Emma Swan.

Belle, amused but also somewhat wary asked, "Henry, what has happened?"

Henry took a breath in an attempt to slow his heart and his mouth and calmly revealed, "Grumpy's truck is a giant icecube after they almost hit a blonde woman wearing a blue dress on the road last night."

All three women intoned together a shocked, "What?!"

…

Emma, Regina, Belle, and Henry rounded the corner on Main Street and headed for the throng of people surrounding, but not standing too close, to Grumpy's truck-cicle. As people started to notice their arrival, there were whispers, sideways glances, and people making outright attempts to distance themselves from both Regina and Emma. Emma tried to look as innocent as possible as she took in the sight of the truck that was encased in ice. Invisible waves of magic were coming off of the object and Emma could feel fear in those waves. She glanced to Regina for confirmation of what she feeling. Regina was walking beside her, head held high, giving people stare for stare. Emma could read nothing on Regina's face other than contempt. Silence descended upon the crowd as the once Evil Queen and current Savior made their approach. Regina broke that silence.

"Oh come on people, you all should know quite well that I conjure fire, not ice."

Emma wanted to giggle, but kept a suitably serious look on her face as she and Regina continued to make their way toward the frozen truck which had been towed back into town and was sitting in the middle of an intersection, front wheels off the ground, still coupled to the tow truck.

"Hey, Leroy," Emma called out toward the group of dwarves, "didn't you always want an ice cream truck?"

"You're not funny," Leroy replied with a serious, gruff tone. He removed himself from his compatriots and approached Emma cautiously. "You sure it wasn't you in the road last night, sister?" He raised an eyebrow as he looked up at Emma. Emma opened her mouth, but it was Regina who responded first.

"I don't think Miss Swan even owns a dress, let alone a blue one."

Emma turned to Regina, her mouth still open from her intention to reply to Leroy and shocked everyone when she said, "Actually, I do own a dress," she paused for dramatic effect. "And it's pink."

There were a few stifled giggles and some murmuring among the crowd and Emma had successfully lessened the tension surrounding this magical mishap.

"Well," Emma said after a few beats, "this is some kind of magic."

Regina rolled her eyes. "Thank you for the brilliant observation, Sheriff."

Emma ignored this and addressed the princess turned librarian. "Belle…" before Emma could even begin a sentence she received a matter of fact reply.

"Yup, I'm on it. Ice sorcery. I'll call you when I find something," and she headed in the direction of the library.

As Belle was departing, David finally showed up to do some crowd control. Emma gave him a stern yet questioning look and he shrugged his shoulders in silent response before addressing the gathered crowd.

"Alright people, move on back. Give us some space here!" He made encouraging movements with arms outstretched and the crowd began to back away toward the sidewalk.

The next person to belatedly join the crowd was Hook. Emma's eyebrows shot up at his more-disheveled-than-usual appearance. As the reformed pirate sauntered over to her, Emma asked in a quiet tone, "Where the hell have you been?" As he got close enough to be within sniffing distance, Emma winced a bit. Up close and personal it was obvious that he hadn't slept and had been in company with what smelled like a cask of rum.

Hook scratched at his tousled hair, "Let's just say, I've been keeping counsel with a friend," and gave a meaningful nod in Regina's direction. He then gave a motion with his hook which encompassed the truck and crowd and inquired, "What's all this then?"

"I'll explain later," Emma offered and approached Regina with her back to the bulk of the crowd. She noticed that Henry strode within ear shot, but kept a fairly discrete distance.

"Okay," Emma said in a low tone to Regina. "You ready to do this?"

"To do what, Miss Swan?" Regina asked. Emma jerked her head toward the icy truck.

"To de-ice Leroy's truck," she said as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

"I don't see why I would do that. It's patently not my problem," Regina replied. Her eyes flicked toward Henry who wore a pleading look which softened her resolve, but it was the three figures standing beyond Henry on the sidewalk that decided her in favor of lending a hand. Robin, Marian, and Roland had joined the crowd and were clearly asking questions. Robin glanced around and his eyes locked onto Regina's.

"Look, Regina, we worked some serious magic last night," Emma pleaded, "These people are freaked out. Let's show them that when you and I work together, they don't have to be afraid."

Regina broke eye contact with Robin and gave Emma a hard look. "You and I don't work together, Swan." Emma's face fell and Regina continued, "Just this once, just to prove these people wrong, I'll do it. But, only because I want them to leave me alone and not be beating down my door accusing me of reverting to…" Regina trailed off not sure if she intended to say 'the Evil Queen' or 'monster' or something else, so instead said, "to how I used to be."

One of Emma's eyebrows arched at this declaration and she said, "whatever you have to tell yourself, Regina," and turned toward the truck. She was diverted in her path when Henry stepped up beside her and put a hand to her shoulder.

"Emma," he said in a low voice so only she could hear, "I get what you're doing here, but after last night, do you think it's a good idea?"

"Yeah, kid," Emma responded, also in a low voice, but with considerable less concern than her son. "Your mom and Belle both said she's fine today. No worries." She gave him a quick half hug. "Now, go stand by David. Don't tell anyone, but I'm not real sure what's going to happen with the ice."

Henry loped off to lend a hand with crowd control and Emma and Regina positioned themselves so they were facing the driver's side of the truck. They both assumed the position: side by side, knees slightly bent, and hands out in front of them.

"On a two count?" Emma asked.

"Whatever you say," Regina replied.

"Okay," Emma said and then a bit louder, "One. Two."

On 'two' both women closed their eyes and white light shot out of their hands and engulfed the truck eliciting an excited "Oooohhh" from the crowd. The next sixty seconds were filled with crackling, popping, and the occasional small block of ice hitting the ground beneath Leroy's truck. Emma and Regina kept their stances, each one risking a glance at their work every few seconds before shutting their eyes again in concentration.

The magic flowing from her was absolutely exhilarating for Emma. Seeing ice fall from the truck and the growing puddle of water forming underneath it gave her satisfaction like she'd never felt before. The experience was not quite so positive for Regina. Her peeks at the magic working were calculated. _How long do I have to keep this up?_ She thought. Another glance showed her the ice was perhaps half gone from the ugly vehicle. _How long_ can _I keep this up?_ Her chest had started aching and the ache quickly turned to a burn and then ratcheted up to a constant shooting pain.

After what seemed an eternity to Regina, she felt Emma lessen the hold she had on the magic flowing from them and did the same. The next instant, the blinding white glow dissipated entirely and revealed Leroy's truck. It wasn't exactly as it had before the mysterious ice encounter.

"I'll be damned!" Leroy exclaimed. "It looks brand new. It's never looked brand new!" The dwarves began to tramp through the massive puddle left behind to get a closer look at Grumpy's new and improved set of wheels. "You're definitely not ever driving it again, Sleepy!"

Regina turned intending to simply walk away, back to her car at the pawn shop and go home. Excessive celebrating wasn't her style. Her balance was a bit off, but nothing she didn't think she couldn't handle. Emma was right beside her, congratulating Regina and herself on a job well done. Regina couldn't make out all of the words Emma was saying, but her tone was enough to convey the meaning. Regina kept moving, with the goal of the safety and quiet of her car, then her home in the forefront of her mind. The crowd had started cheering at some point, but that was fading to a low buzz punctuated by higher pitched shouts. Regina realized she wasn't going to make it to her car when the earth seemed to tilt on its axis. She reached out for something, anything to help her keep balance and that happened to be an arm clad in red leather. The last thing Regina heard before the world went dark and silent was Emma.

"Oh no! Not again!"

...

Emma, supporting an unconscious Regina emerged from a cloud of white smoke in the Charming's loft apartment. Careful not to jostle her limp cargo, Emma laid Regina on the small couch and stood, taking in her surroundings.

"How the hell did I do that?!" Emma ceased wondering about what seemed like a sudden massive improvement in her magical abilities and concerned herself with Regina. She was unbelievably pale again and not stirring to consciousness immediately like she had last night. Emma ran to the bathroom, grabbed a cloth which she quickly ran under cold water and returned to Regina's side. She knelt down next to the couch and placed the cold cloth on Regina's forehead. Not at all expecting a sudden reaction, Emma nearly fell over backwards when Regina suddenly sat up gasping and grabbing at her chest. Initially, Regina's eyes had flown open and in them, Emma had seen fear, panic, and above all, pain. Now Regina's eyes were shut tight as she attempted to curl in on herself, hands clasped to her chest. Whimpers of pain were escaping the usually regal woman as she fought to catch her breath.

It was Emma's turn to panic. She dropped the wet cloth and moved onto the couch to support Regina's back. As she put her arms around Regina from behind she begged, "Gina, tell me what's wrong. Tell me what I can do to help you!" She received no reply, still the only sounds coming from Regina were heavy breathing and an occasional moan. Instinctively, Emma began to rock back and forth and whisper, "Talk to me, Gina, please, talk to me."

After a short time, Regina's breathing slowed and her tense posture relaxed into Emma. Still not sure what to do and operating on instinct alone, Emma simply continued to hold Regina from behind and gently rock until she felt a hot tear land on her arm and she risked a timid, "Regina?"

A small sniff followed the inquiry followed by an even smaller, "Why?" from Regina.

"Why what?" Emma asked, matching Regina's whisper.

"Why does it have to be you?" Regina clarified in louder, but wounded tone.

"I don't understand…" Emma admitted. This statement was met by Regina stiffening in her arms and pushing herself well away from Emma. Regina turned to face her with muted fire in her eyes. Emma wasn't sure if the fire was muted by tears, by pain, by hate, or by something else. But, she was willing to hear Regina out and so she returned the look with one of curiosity and shrugged her shoulders.

"It has to be you. It's always you. I can't ever just hate you after you do something horrible or stupid to me. You always have to somehow come to my rescue and try to make it seem like you care about me when I know all you care about is constantly doing ' _the right'_ thing whether that means it hurts me or not." Regina then looked away from Emma and took in her surroundings for the first time. "And on top of that you brought me to the Idiots' apartment. Perfect."

Emma really didn't know exactly where to start with all that, but she decided the best course of action was to attempt to address the tirade of complaints brought against her in reverse order. Emma nodded and began what would turn out to be an abortive attempt at an explanation.

"Well, first of all, I didn't mean to take you anywhere. It just… uh… happened, so I don't really think I can be blamed for the location, because I didn't actually choose it."

Regina huffed and rolled her eyes. "What do you mean you didn't intend to take me anywhere?"

"I didn't. I mean I've seen you and Gold do the whole 'poofing' thing, but I've never tried it myself. I didn't even know I could do it," Emma explained. Regina seemed legitimately interested and didn't interrupt as she seemed to mull over this information. "And as far as you thinking I don't care about you, you're just wrong."

Regina's gaze snapped to meet green eyes and Emma briefly took down her emotional wall so that Regina could see the truth in her statement. Realizing how reckless that was, Emma immediately looked away and stood, taking a few steps away from the couch where Regina still sat.

"And I guess it's always me," Emma continued with her back to Regina "because I'm the Savior. What else am I supposed to do? I understand you're still upset with me but…"

"Still?" Regina interjected incredulously. "Still? It hasn't even been twenty-four hours yet, Miss Swan!" Emma turned to face Regina again and was on the verge of feeling guilty again when Regina hit below the belt. "But, then again, how long was it after Neal Cassidy's funeral that you were in bed with a pirate?"

Emma felt what can only be described as a lightning bolt shoot through her heart just before she saw red. There was no stopping her retort even had she wanted to, and she didn't want to at that moment. "And how long did you know Robin before you were in his bed? How long had you even been sleeping with him when Hook and I got back from the crazy time portal trip?"

Regina stood from the couch and in her own fit of rage rounded the coffee table intending to get in Emma's face, but Emma was quicker and circled back around keeping at least that one piece of furniture between them. "Are you insinuating, Miss Swan, that I am, for one, easy, and two, that my feelings for Robin are less than genuine?"

The two combatants, for that was what they had become, circled the coffee table again. "Of course that's what I'm suggesting, Your Majesty! Sleeping with a man at Granny's doesn't mean you're in love. It means you had a good time. Nothing more."

Regina scoffed, rolled her eyes, and gave Emma a death stare before countering. "And I suppose that your foray into the past where you managed to nearly wipe yourself out of existence is the best building block for a relationship with a dirty pirate. If it weren't for Henry…"

"Don't you even bring our son into this!" Emma yelled and had just stepped over the coffee table to bring her within inches of Regina's face when...

"He's already in this!" Henry's voice rang out from the doorway to the apartment and both women whirled around, open mouthed at his vehement tone. "You two sound like jealous teenagers! What the hell are you doing?!"

Both women immediately went into mother mode and said together, "Henry! Language!"

They looked at each other with naked anger and Emma said, "I'll handle this, thank you."

Regina would not have it and rebutted, "No, Miss Swan, I'll handle this!"

"STOP!" Henry yelled, totally exasperated. "Both of you, just stop." Henry's voice cracked and that show of emotion from their son seemed to deflate both women's anger, and perhaps their egos as well. "I get that you're angry at each other, but yelling and fighting is not going to help anything. You both know that after what you did out there, people are going to expect you to work together to solve this ice thing. Act like you care about anything but yourselves." With that Henry stalked back out into the stairwell and slammed the door behind him leaving his mothers with something to think about.


End file.
